if eating under 1200cals is so bad.......

This topic has some horrible advice, you should be netting above 1200 calories (Or even to your BMR which is probably MORE than 1200 calories) in order to sustain a healthy eating lifestyle (healthy and eating together.. your just wrong!)..
Sure people eating under 1200 will see weight loss, I could tell you to lose weight go have shakes for meals and eat lettuce, you will lose weight.. you won't keep it off but you will lose for a bit, then plateau and be stuck.. If you have alot of weight to lose you can do it for a certain amount of time.

If your netting under 1200 calories and your working out and losing weight, you can't tell me your not losing muscle even if your eating chicken on a stick all day.. your still losing lean mass cause your not getting nutrition you need. If your losing more than 2 lbs a week, ya good luck keeping that off when you decide to eat again.

Everyone is different and its all about what you consume, back in the old days people caught there food and harvest there vegetables and fruits, we didnt have all this processed rubbish that weighs us down. Not to mention all the energy exerted from doing so.

i am a paleo, I net in the negatives at times and at most net 900 cal a day. i burn more then i consume most days and im not starving my self i always feel satisfied. I kept 50 lbs off for going on 2 years. And I'm pretty muscular for a girl and have defined calve muscles and arm muscles but do have more weight to lose.

The people you mention who are eating rubbish and losing fast....how much do they need to lose? If they're quite big then dropping to below 1200 calories will make them lose fast, however they're eating those calories. I don't think you can maintain good loss while eating like that though.

Exactly. I lost 145 pounds eating below 1200 calories. I got very sick; my hair started falling out, my heart rate dropped to 45 bpm, my skin was gray and yellow. I was completely miserable, and I gained 50 pounds back. Now I'm eating 1700-2000 calories a day, and I feel great -- plus I'm starting to drop the weight again!

As far how many calories I should be eating, I've gone to 3 different sites and have gotten 3 different answers. It's very frustrating! Neither my weight nor my inches have changed in the last 2-3 weeks. I joined a gym yesterday and I have an appointment with the personal trainer tomorrow evening. I'm going to settle this once and for all. DANG IT!

As one of those individuals, I can honestly say that 1200 calories for me is A LOT! I don't always eat below that, and sometimes I touch into my exercise calories. I can squeeze a lot of food into few calories just by the choices I make. I lost roughly 12 pounds last month by staying at or slightly under my goal. And my weight loss goal isnt huge-was 20-30 pounds. Im not ashamed of it...it's what works for me!

I can totally relate.

Careful though.. I think the 1200 is a importaant number becase if you eat 1200 cals you get most of all the other vitamins and minerals you need. I was eating 900 for about three months.Lost a ton of weight. But i did not realize all the good that left with it. Hair looked rough nails.. teeth. Got back right but took a little while.


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why do i see people getting such good results doing it argh!!!

i have never gone under 1200cals and i eat back most exercise cals too. i havent been logging for ages now though but have been maintaining as i dont usually try new things so i have a rough idea on my cals. i eat around 1600cals and when i exercise i log that and usually eat more so around 1900-2300cals a day. i havent lost any weight in ages infact iv gained about 8lbs since i started doing insanity last month!!!

yet i have friends on here who fill there diary in daily and eat pretty rubbish but under 1200 some only 800cals of pure rubbish! and still seem to be losing weight at a fast pace!

i really dont understand this, i do delete these people but havent in afew weeks, its just really off putting i dont get fast results any more yet it seems eating afew ready meals, mugshots or processed crap is making these people lose up to 2lb a week!!

You said you aren't logging, so you don't now 100% sure that you are staying within those calorie amounts. Plus, I cannot say to those people eating under 1200.... they may be short, with tiny frames and don't need as many cals as others do, however if they are losing fast then (and this is again, unless they have lots to lose, which makes the loss easier anyway) it is obviously unhealthy. They are not just losing fat, but muscle. I'm certain you do not want to lose muscle .........and in the end they will fail because they are not feeding their bodies correctly. Let them fail, it's their own stupidity.

I would say try logging regularly again, try cycling your calories. Eat one or two days at 1200 cals then up it to your max for a few days. Change it up. Or if you are really worried, cycle up to maintenance for a month or so then drop back down again to restart your body.

I can understand your frustration, but seriously you can't compare yourself to others. You need to get back on track, if nothing is happening maybe take a look at what YOU are doing.

Good luck!

Let them eat their rubbish. They'll only lose weight for so long, and then their metabolisms will shoot into starvation mode. And they clearly aren't worried about being healthy, only losing pounds. You may have gained a few pounds, but what kinds of changes are you seeing in your body? Do you look leaner or can you see where you've gained? Maybe now is the time to start logging again and see if you're eating more calories than you think. Good luck figuring it out, but leave the rubbish to your MFP friends.

The people you mention who are eating rubbish and losing fast....how much do they need to lose? If they're quite big then dropping to below 1200 calories will make them lose fast, however they're eating those calories. I don't think you can maintain good loss while eating like that though.

Exactly. I lost 145 pounds eating below 1200 calories. I got very sick; my hair started falling out, my heart rate dropped to 45 bpm, my skin was gray and yellow. I was completely miserable, and I gained 50 pounds back. Now I'm eating 1700-2000 calories a day, and I feel great -- plus I'm starting to drop the weight again!

if you had 145 lbs to lose then i doubt 1200 was ever the MFP recommended number to begin with so you netting under 1200 is much different than some one who is supposed to net 1200. i'm not saying netting way under 1200 is good, BUT if your BMR is 1300 and you net 1100 calories, its way less dangerous than if your BMR 1900 and you are netting 1100.

I suppose the difference is whether you want to lose weight and keep it off or just gain it back. The people who eat too little to lose weight quickly, usually gain it all back (and often more) when they start eating normally again. Or, if they continue to eat too little, they can make themselves seriously sick including weakening their heart which can lead to heart attack and even death.... just saying.

Regarding gaining 8 pounds - Keep in mind that when you don't have much to lose, if you are doing everything right it is possible to gain weight because you're building muscle. It depends upon what exercises you are doing. Your clothes are a better measure of whether or not you're losing. Maybe you should be tracking your inches lost instead of your pounds lost, since inches can be a better indicator.

Personally, I net between 1300 and 1400 calories a day and am losing about 1 - 1.5 pounds per week. Regarding "eating back exercise calories", according to my doctor - you're supposed to, because it's NET calories (intake - burn off) that counts, not gross. You just want to make sure that you're eating the right mix of foods and getting the right nutrients - there is a BIG difference between eating 100 calories of potato chips and eating 100 calories of cottage cheese! (Personally, I prefer the cottage cheese, but that's just me.)

Good luck with your journey.... but remember - it's a lifestyle change and likewise it's a process.

With all due honesty, I dont associate with people who eat well below the 1200 or net below 1200.. it is not a healthy management of weight loss or health. Yes, there are people who willingly do that, but I personally find it to be self-destructive... Id rather lose the weight gradually and do it the right way...

i agree it just really annoys me when i try to give good advice but its as though im just talking rubbish as they lose easy anyway and they arent big at all! average weight!

If the advice is asked, then the receiver really should take it to heart. When its unprompted, that is when all hell breaks loose to be honest.

I simply wont associate with anyone who does this. I dont comment on anyone's intake but I wont keep them around if they willingly make those bad choices... I dont want to be associated with that.

Serious jealousy here? you don't associate because they eat vlcd and lose faster than you....wow smh...FYI if you're fat it is more than ok to eat less than 1200..only in western countries do people claim its not for fat people...try being vegan you'll be under 1200 calories and still full/ healthier than those that eat 1200 and the weight falls off. Don't be so narrow-minded and judgmental of others...Since I eat under 1200, we can't be friends hmmm, seems dumb...